Today I will be spending the day packing, loading the U-Haul, and saying more good-byes. There are a few who have put off “this is it” until today, promising to come help pack rather than say good bye one last time any sooner than necessary.
And then, after the truck is packed, and the house is empty, and I have hugged and waved just about everyone, we will load up and head off to spend my last night in Iowa at my mom’s house.
Tomorrow morning we will worry about good-byes there. Tonight, we will sit on the couch and wrap ourselves in fictional sadness as we gorge on Steel Magnolias. When I was a kid, my mom and I used to rent Beaches and Steel Magnolias every year around Christmas. We would curl up on the couch together with blankets and tissues and prepare ourselves for the sob fest - a ritual we truly enjoyed. My dad would roll his eys, my brothers would take pictures - all would shake their heads and call us crazy, completely unable to understand why we would purposely set ourself up for tears.
My mom and I are criers. It doesn’t bother us, unless we have to do it in front of a mirror (because seriously? Ew. I am the world’s most hideous bawler.). We enjoy getting swept up in emotions - whether it’s laughter or tears. Double bonus points if it’s “laughter through tears es mah favorite emotion”.
Ah, yes, the words to be repeated often and generally lived by - our favorite Steel Magnolias’ quotes.
My husband now understands that the truest measure of my love can be summed up with “ah baby, you know I love you more than mah luggage.”
I’m looking forward to the sob fest. We debated on watching Beaches - but there really is no up swing to that movie. Besides, the strong undercurrents of the mother-daughter storyline should prove to be especially devastating as we prepare to say good bye to one another for a long time.
Yeah, I know. We’re sick.
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Posted in Friends and Family Tagged: Beaches, mom, movies, Steel Magnolias, women
Good luck to you with the move. As for the chick flicks as we call them, I’ve introduced my 7 and 10 year old daughters to them. Our current favorites are Steel Magnolias and Hope Floats. We are sick too. You’re in good company.
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You know, the first step is to admit the problem.
Have a safe journey!
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Strange creatures, you criers.
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I’m a crier too. Have a good time with your mom tonight. I hope all goes well with the move. Take care.
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I have been there and experienced all these movies with you. YOu all laugh at me because I am not a crier. Yet as I tear up at Armageddon you laugh some more! Enjoy your movies…..and remember your mom’s only a call away!
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I am a crier to and honey I think I hold the award for the world’s most hideous crier, sorry!
Have a safe trip to FLA!!!
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My mom and I are the same way… I also agree with whoever suggested “Hope Floats” but my oldest daughter has another to add to your list…
Stepmom… another tearjerker.
Have a wonderful time with your mom.
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Another good crying movie is Toby Keith’s “Broken Bridges” Daughter and I love that one, it has become our new “time together”
Seriously though, Florida is not that far away. Imagine them visiting for the holidays and being able to enjoy Christmas dinner outside!!
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Awwww, good for you!
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“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” ~~Clairee Blecher
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Aww…I’m a boo-hooer at movies, too. Which is why I watch them alone so that no one else can see my ugliness when crying. Heh
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You need to add Terms of Endearment into the mix too!
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I always cried during The Alamo. That John Wayne is just such a great acthack cough cough cough…
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I can’t watch Magnolias.
I can appreciate it. But I can’t watch it.
It depresses me beyond belief.
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I have 2 daughters to cry with. It all began when they were about 5 and 3 and we watched “Dumbo”. You know the part where Dumbo’s mother is locked up and she reaches out through the bars of the wagon and picks up baby Dumbo and rocks him? We were a veritable ocean of tears! RW just rolled his eyes and passed the kleenex…ah, good times.
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